PHA-Exchange> ETHIOPIA: Women''s empowerment vital for development - government

[George(s) Lessard]

------- Forwarded message follows -------
From:           	IRIN <IRIN at irinnews.org>
To:             	George Lessard <media at web.net>
Date sent:      	Mon, 24 Jun 2002 14:12:56 GMT
Subject:        	ETHIOPIA: Women''s empowerment vital for 
development - government

U N I T E D  N A T I O N S
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN)

ETHIOPIA: Women's empowerment vital for development - government

ADDIS ABABA, 24 June (IRIN) - Women must seize the opportunity of 
equality and
fight for their rights, the Ethiopian government urged on Monday. Without their
full participation in society the country could never attain rapid and sustained
development, the information ministry declared in a statement.

It conceded, however, that major hurdles would have to be overcome before 
women
could achieve equality. "The development and democratisation process under 
way
in our country cannot achieve its goals without the full participation of
women," it said. It noted that in this context "arduous efforts" were being made
towards this objective, citing both a new legal framework and a schools policy
launched with a view to helping women.

The statement went on to say that women's rights were upheld in the 
Ethiopian
constitution. "The issue of women’s equality is an issue of the whole society,
and this view is becoming widespread in the country. The vital role of women 
for
development and democratisation has no alternative at all." It said women 
were
engaging in "ever-growing participation" in the country's economic, political
and social life.

However, the government also observed that the effort to emancipate women 
must
also be made within the family. "A concerted effort must also be applied at the
family level, in order to raise and strengthen awareness of women’s rights."

The enrolment rate of girls in schools is far below that of boys, despite a
countrywide drive to encourage women to receive education. At present some 
40
percent of girls across the country are enrolled in primary schools – compared
to an average for boys of 57 percent.

The government said women had been oppressed in Ethiopia for thousands of 
years,
but a transformation of their status was now under way. "In particular, women,
cognizant that their struggle for equality has only just begun, must organise
themselves and struggle. A woman must not be passive whenever her 
legitimate
rights are violated. It must be clear to everyone that democratisation and
development will never be realised without the participation of women," the
statement concluded. 


[ENDS]

IRIN-CEA
Tel: +254 2 622147
Fax: +254 2 622129
Email: IRIN at ocha.unon.org

[This Item is Delivered to the "Africa-English" Service of the UN's IRIN
humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views
of the United Nations. For further information, free subscriptions, or 
to change your keywords, contact e-mail: IRIN at ocha.unon.org or Web: 
http://www.irinnews.org . If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post
this item, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Reposting by commercial
sites requires written IRIN permission.]

Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2002



Subscriber: media at web.net
Keyword: All IRIN Reports



------- End of forwarded message -------